Both poems tell stories of forgiveness and repent. Although the ancient Mariner knows he has sinned, Peter Grimes does not and thinks he is in the right, which is where the stories differ.
The idea of isolation is strong in both poems. T.R.O.T.A.M shows the idea of isolation by using imagery and words such as “hot”, “repressive”, “thick” and “desolate”, which makes you feel that the Ancient Mariner is suffocating in self- pity, despair and helplessness. It gives the idea that there is no escape. In Peter Grimes, lines 171 to 189, gives a description of the area being monotonous and deserted.
“At the same times the same dull views to see”
This also makes the reader feel trapped and although there is no escape from the repetitiveness of the deserted mud surrounding him. It crates the feeling of loneliness very well as it makes it seem there is nothing to save him from his fate.
In T.R.O.T.A.M there are many references to “slimy”. Firstly in line 235 it mentions “slimy things” as a negative it says;
“The very deeps did rot: O Christ!
That ever this should be!
Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs
Upon the slimy Sea.”
“The many men so beautiful
And they all dead did lie!
And a million million slimy things
Liv'd on -- and so did I.”
This part shows the slimy things as being evil, horrible and disgusting. Then later in the poem the description of the slimy thing turns into a positive as when he blesses them it saves him from his ghastly fate. This is also another religious reference as it includes spirits and gothic description. In Peter Grimes it also uses the word “slimy” to describe the mud and the desolation. It says:
“In its hot slimy channel slowly glide”
The idea of the supernatural runs throughout both poems, as both mention spirits, which haunt them, telling them that they have done wrong and showing them their fate. In T.R.O.T.A.M the spirits come down and firstly kill all his crew and then sentence him to a life of “undead”. In Peter Grimes the ghosts of three of the boys he has killed come to haunt him and decide his fate. This is because at the time fate was a very important belief so supernatural and fate go together in making the poem a popular one.
Although both poems have very similar themes, they are written in completely different styles. Coleridge wrote T.R.O.T.A.M in sections and stanzas to keep the poem flowing and structure it, whereas Crabbe’s poem has no separate stanzas but also works very well as unlike Coleridge’s, it has a steady rhythm that keeps it flowing and makes it easy to read. T.R.O.T.A.M is not so easy to read, as certain bits of it are anechoic which gives it an erratic rhythm.
Both poets use the same writing techniques and imagery like alliteration for example:
“The breezes blew, the white foam flew,
The furrow follow'd free”
“bellowing boom”
There is also a lot of repetition of words in the poems such as :
“Water, water every where
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water every where,
Ne any drop to drink.”
So the same sort of writing techniques are used in both poems to presents the themes of isolation, injustice, retribution and the supernatural, which is why on first thought, these poems are awfully similar. However when looked at closely, there are many important differences in the styles that both poets write in to present the themes in their own individual way. Both poems are very successful at using the description and imagery to give the feeling of isolation, retribution, injustice and the supernatural. They both tell stories, but again using different styles. T.R.O.T.A.M contains more direct speech than Peter Grimes, which is a narrative poem. These are the main ways in which each poet has produced an original poem on the themes of isolation, retribution, injustice and the supernatural.